Resilience: Bouncing Back

I asked you to send me your special words to use as inspiration for my devotions, and I’m grateful for the responses—keep them coming. Last week we looked at the word perseverance, which means to press on, push through, and keep going for the long haul.

This week two of you sent me the word resilience. So that’s what I’ll be writing about today. We can all use this reminder at some point or another.

Resilience and perseverance go hand-in-hand. They both carry an attitude of determination. Perseverance builds endurance and overcomes obstacles that are thrown in our way. Resilience bounces back when knocked down.

My sister-in-law and I were talking about this and the same visual came to mind for both of us. If you grew up in the 1970s you may remember the blow-up punching bag that looked like a clown. It was filled with air and had a sack of sand embedded at the bottom. Whenever you hit the silly clown’s face, the bag would topple backward but just as quickly bounce back upright. Despite the punches that kept coming at him, the clown kept a smile on his face.

Sometimes life feels like this, but sometimes it’s hard to get back up. Too many metaphorical punches make us weary and ready to tap out. Unlike the clown, our smiles start to fade, or we just fake it.

There’s a guy in the Bible you may be familiar with—his name is Paul and he is one of Jesus’ most dedicated apostles. He wrote most of the New Testament books. He traveled far and wide preaching the Gospel—the Good News of Salvation. His heart was for everyone to know about Jesus, experience His grace, and come into a relationship with Him.

If anyone knew about perseverance and resilience it was Paul.

First, here’s a glimpse of the hardships he endured and overcame:

2 Corinthians 11:23-33, “I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. 24 Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, 26 I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers. 27 I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. 28 Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches. 29 Who is weak, and I do not feel weak? Who is led into sin, and I do not inwardly burn? 30 If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness. 31 The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, who is to be praised forever, knows that I am not lying. 32 In Damascus the governor under King Aretas had the city of the Damascenes guarded in order to arrest me. 33 But I was lowered in a basket from a window in the wall and slipped through his hands.”

Talk about perseverance! Paul kept going despite every obstacle. Besides snakebites, shipwrecks, he escaped through a window and continued undeterred from his God-given mission. You and I have a mission and purpose in life too. Most have not had to escape with our lives in such a drastic way. Although for some of you, this may hit close to home. I pray for healing and comfort if it does.

Here’s Paul response to his various and extreme trials:

2 Corinthians 11:9-10, “But he [Jesus] said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 10 That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” What a powerful testimony of the love, power, and faithfulness of God, who never leaves or forsakes us. God is the one who helps us through our troubles. He gives us strength when we lean on Him. Scripture says that we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us! Paul is our example in resilience: Acts 14:19-20, “Then some Jews came from Antioch and Iconium and won the crowd over. They stoned Paul and dragged him outside the city, thinking he was dead. 20 But after the disciples had gathered around him, he got up and went back into the city. The next day he and Barnabas left for Derbe.”

Talk about bouncing back! I imagine a prize fighter saying, let me at ‘em. Paul got back in the ring. He didn’t fight with words; he brought the truth and love of Christ. He knew without a doubt that God was on his side. Paul also recognized when God was closing a door and sending him in a new direction. Resilience doesn’t necessarily mean staying put in our current situation, but sometimes it does. It involves getting up, dusting off, and following God’s lead wherever that may be. A keep component of resilience is prayer and storing god’s Word in our hearts. Believing and grabbing hold of His promises to us. Jesus persevered on the journey to the Cross. He endured torture on our behalf. He empathizes with our pain and sorrow; He has struggled beyond our comprehension.

Hebrews 4:15, “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.”

Hebrews 12:1-3, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.”

Jesus’ resurrection is God’s greatest display of resilience! Death and the grave could not keep the Lord down. The stone away and Jesus walked out of the tomb! And Scripture says that the same God used in raising Christ from death is the same mighty power at work in us! Wow! We have resilience built into our God-given DNA! In encourage you to pray Paul’s prayer from Ephesians 1, over yourself or a loved one who needs an extra boost.

Soon that smile will be more real than ever. The joy of the Lord is our strength.

Ephesians 1:18-23, “I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.”

Blessings, Tracy